All Content: humanitarian issues

The report explores the shift in migration to Texas's Rio Grande Valley and its implications for migrants and border security officials. WOLA offers recommendations for authorities to respond more effectively to the reality on the ground.

WOLA Senior Fellow Jo-Marie Burt was in Guatemala on January 5, 2015, to observe the genocide trial of former dictator José Efraín Ríos Montt.

5 Jan 2015

News

On January 5, 2015, Guatemala began new proceedings in the genocide trial of former dictator José Efraín Ríos Montt, and WOLA Senior Fellow Jo-Marie Burt was there to observe the proceedings and monitor subsequent developments.

On December 7, 2014, six detainees were transferred from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo to Uruguay. The detainees had been cleared for transfer by the special Guantanamo Periodic Review Board, which determined that their release would not represent a security threat.

On November 12, WOLA honored Dr. Claudia Paz y Paz, former Attorney General of Guatemala, and Congressman George Miller with its 2014 Human Rights Award. Click here to watch video of their acceptance speeches.

WOLA honored Claudia Paz y Paz, former Attorney General of Guatemala and U.S. Congressman George Miller

13 Nov 2014

News

On November 12, the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) presented its prestigious Human Rights Awards by honoring two distinguished leaders who have shown a dedication to advancing human rights in the Americas: Claudia Paz y Paz, former Attorney General of Guatemala and U.S. Congressman George Miller.

In this taped event on human rights in Colombia, leading human rights defenders share on-the-ground information on the Colombian conflict and identify ways the international community can support peace.

The proposal to receive various Guantanamo detainees who have been cleared for release has become the central issue in Uruguay’s electoral race, politicizing an issue that deserves to be treated as a humanitarian crisis.

WOLA Executive Director Joy Olson reacts to the press release from the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), which urges Latin American countries to receive those Guantanamo prisoners who have been cleared for release.

Report back on an August 3-4 visit to McAllen, Texas and Reynosa, Mexico

7 Aug 2014

Publication

With numerous audio samples, Adam reports back on an August 3-4 visit to McAllen, Texas, and Reynosa, Mexico. Listen to on-the-scene updates about unaccompanied minors, the dangers of the journey, deportations, and the humanitarian response.

In recent months, unaccompanied Central American children have arrived at the U.S. border seeking refuge from violence in their home countries. Here are a few statements that have been issued by religious communities in the U.S.

What drives a child or teenager to leave his or her home community in San Salvador or San Pedro Sula, and risk everything to make the extremely dangerous journey north? For many of these children, it is knowing how terrifying and potentially life threatening not going could be.

In a series of recommendations, WOLA, LAWG, the Women's Refugee Commission, JRS, the Guatemala Human Rights Commission, and the U.S. Jesuit Conference outline intelligent ways in which the U.S. government could respond to the increase in migration from Central America.

The surge of unaccompanied minors at the U.S.-Mexico border has sparked widespread discussion about the causes behind this dramatic increase, but less attention has been paid to the dangers migrants face during their journey through Mexico to the United States.